Not surprisingly, more people than just Chinese nationals want to use the streaming services, but the Chinese government says otherwise; blocking access to it from outside the country’s borders. There are two main ways to get access to Youku from outside of China:

use a proxy use a virtual private network (VPN).

How Proxies Work

A proxy is simply a computer that you use to access the Internet from that is in a different location than your own. In this case, the proxy computer would be located inside of China so that all of your requests to visit Youku or any other Chinese site would come from a legitimate Chinese IP address. Proxies can be used in an emergency, but the biggest problem you face by using one is that they do not encrypt or secure the data you are sending or receiving back on your own Internet-capable device of choice. For instance, if you are accessing Youku through a Chinese proxy while located in Israel, the Chinese government can track your Chinese IP address back to your location in Israel, get your IP address, and see all the information you are sending and receiving. This could include your location, your name, financial information, etc. This is the main reason that proxies are heavily frowned upon for getting online.

Proxies vs. VPNs

When they are downloaded, they are encrypted at the remote server, sent back through the private tunnel, and decrypted at your location to be viewed and interacted with.

Best VPNs for Unblocking Youku Outside China

1PrivateVPN

Sweden’s PrivateVPN packs a punch on the security front but you have to be cautious on its servery variety. It prefers quality to quantity and has just more than a hundred available servers. Its security makes up for that with an industry-leading 2,048-bit encryption, a strict no-logs policy, an automatic kill switch, and built-in leak protection all standard. It generously offers up to six simultaneous connections and works well with torrenting thanks to its port forwarding and P2P functionality. Start Watching Now

2SaferVPN

SaferVPN is committed to customer serve and caters to your tastes by offering a free trial along with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It has servers in more than 35 countries, and its server count tops 750 total. It has great success in content blocking thanks in large part to its successful encryption protocol featuring IKEv2 and OpenVPN. SaferVPN never records any logs and has a reactive kill switch to keep your personal information safe. Start Watching Now

3VyprVPN

VyprVPN keeps China’s Great Firewall guessing with its custom Chameleon protocol which provides better protection and accessibility no matter where in the world you are based. It comes standard with a kill switch and DNS leak protection, and has apps for all 10 supported platforms. VyprVPN delivers fast speeds across more than 200,000 IP addresses located on more than 700 servers across more than 70 countries. I ts country of origin is another feather in its cap. VyprVPN calls Switzerland home. The Swiss have some of the most Internet-friendly and data-restrictive laws on the planet. Start Watching Now